Exterior contractor in Troy, MI
Troy covers a lot of ground and a lot of decades: 1950s ranches near the southern edge, large colonials through the middle, newer builds on infill lots. What the city has in common is homeowners who get several quotes and read them properly.
That is the useful thing to write about here, because the question we are asked most in Troy is not what work costs. It is why one quote is thousands more than another for what looks like the same job.
Why quotes for the same job differ so much
Because they are usually describing different jobs. The expensive parts of exterior work are the parts that are easiest to leave out of a proposal, and they are invisible once the job is finished.
On a roof that means the ice barrier, the flashing, the ventilation and what happens to bad decking. On a wall it means tear-off, the weather barrier, flashing at the openings, and whether trim and soffit are included. On a gutter it means size, hanger type and where the water is released. A quote that does not mention those is not cheaper; it is less specific.
What we do in Troy
- Roofing — roofing in Troy · residential roofing · repairs · storm damage
- Siding, soffit and fascia — siding in Troy · vinyl · fiber cement
- Seamless gutters — gutters in Troy · seamless gutters · leaf protection · copper
- Everything else on the outside — drainage, windows, painting, masonry, decks, additions and commercial roofing
What to ask every contractor, including us
Ask all of your bidders the same short list and the price difference usually explains itself: is the old material removed or covered, what goes behind the new material, which flashings are being replaced, is the trim included, and what is the unit price for anything found once the work is open.
If the answers differ, you have found the money. Then you can decide whether what it buys is worth having, which is a decision you should be making rather than a salesperson.
How we quote
Free on-site inspection, attic included where a roof is involved. What comes back is itemised: what is replaced, what is repaired, what we are deliberately leaving alone, the product by name rather than by adjective, and unit prices for the unknowns.
We would rather lose a job on a number you understand than win one on a number you do not.
Older Troy houses and newer ones
The southern part of the city has a good deal of 1950s and early 1960s housing, and those walls and roofs behave differently from the colonials further north. What matters is knowing which you have:
- Plank sheathing and little cavity insulation on the older stock, which is why insulated siding and attic work are worth more there than on a 1985 house.
- Roof-to-wall junctions where a lower roof meets an upper wall. The most common source of water inside a Troy wall, and far easier to fix while siding or roofing is off.
- Original builder windows on the middle-era houses, usually the same age as the siding around them.
- Attic ventilation that was adequate for the insulation levels of the day and is not adequate now.
- Undersized gutters on larger colonials, overflowing at the same corner in every heavy rain.
Questions from Troy homeowners
I have three quotes with a large spread. How do I compare them?
Line them up against tear-off, what goes behind the new material, flashing, trim and the named product. That will account for most of the difference. A single-page quote with one number on it cannot be compared to anything.
Do I need a permit?
Often, and requirements are set by the city and change from time to time, so we check with the building department for your address rather than assuming. Either way the quote should say plainly who is pulling it.
Can you do windows at the same time as siding?
Yes, and it is the sensible order. With the wall open, a window can be flashed into it properly rather than fitted into a finished opening and sealed around afterwards.
Is the cheapest quote ever the right one?
Sometimes, if the scope genuinely matches. More often it is cheaper because it is doing less, and the parts it is not doing are the ones you cannot see. That is worth establishing before you sign rather than after.
Nearby
- Exterior contractor in Royal Oak, MI
- Exterior contractor in Birmingham, MI
- Exterior contractor in Rochester Hills, MI
The full coverage list is on our service area page.
Free estimate in Troy
Get us in alongside your other bidders. We will give you a scope you can compare line for line, at no charge.
Request a free estimate or call (586) 533-8343.
